germany opportunity
card (chancenkarte)

The Opportunity Card provides two pathways to looking for a job in Germany: 

• The Skilled Professionals pathway; or
• The points-based pathway.

Each pathway has slightly different eligibility requirements, as follows.

Under the skilled professionals pathway, you must have a foreign professional or academic qualification that is fully recognized in Germany. 

To qualify under this pathway, you must either:

• Hold a German academic degree or a comparable foreign academic degree. Your degree course must have taken a minimum of 2 years to complete. You can check whether both your degree and the awarding academic institution are listed as comparable here. If either is not listed, you will need to obtain a “Statement of Comparability for Foreign Higher Education Qualifications” issued by the Central Office for Foreign Education (ZAB).

Or:

• Have undergone professional training in Germany or overseas. Your training must have taken a minimum of 2 years to complete. Any professional qualification obtained overseas must have been fully recognized by the competent body in Germany and you must be able to provide the formal recognition notice. You can find out more about having your qualification recognized here.

The points-based pathway provides a separate option for individuals holding an academic or professional qualification that is not deemed comparable or has not (yet) been fully recognized.

To qualify under this pathway, you must either:

• Hold an academic degree. Your degree course must have taken a minimum of 2 years to complete and your academic degree qualification must be fully recognized in the country where it has been awarded. Additionally, your degree must have been assessed by the Central Office for Foreign Education (ZAB).

Or:

• Have undergone professional training. Your training must have taken a minimum of 2 years to complete and your qualification must be fully recognized in the country where it has been awarded. Additionally, your qualification must have been assessed by the Central Office for Foreign Education (ZAB). If you completed a Category A vocational education and training at a German Chamber of Commerce Abroad (AHK) that meets the requirements of the Vocational Training Act [BBiG], this qualification may also be suitable. 

In addition to the above, you must meet both of the following requirements:

• You must have at least basic German language proficiency (Level A1 CEFR – Common European Framework of Reference for Languages) or at least advanced English language proficiency (Level B2 CEFR). Higher proficiency levels than the minimum requirements in either language are an additional advantage in the point-based system. 
• You must score a minimum of 6 points in the points-based system.

You must apply for an Opportunity Card directly with the German Mission having jurisdiction for your place of residence. In some countries, appointments need to be booked with a visa application centre.

You will need to submit various documents to support your application for an Opportunity Card. The specific documents you must provide depends on your individual circumstances and the pathway you are applying under. Please speak to Smith Stone Walters to determine which documents you will need.

Currently, the fee to apply for a German Opportunity Card (Chancenkarte) is €75.00, payable in local currency. Please note, visa fees are subject to change at short notice.  

Most applications for an Opportunity Card are processed within 4 weeks from the date of submission. Please note, expedited services are not available for this category.

Opportunity Cards are issued initially for a maximum of one year. Once you have found a suitable job, it is possible to extend your stay in Germany.

The Opportunity Card allows you to look for gainful employment in Germany, i.e. you can seek employment or become self-employed. While you are looking for gainful employment, you are allowed to have one or more part-time jobs totalling 20 hours a week.

You can also do job trials for a maximum of two weeks per employer as part of your job search. The aim of the job trial must be either to obtain qualified employment, an apprenticeship, or a qualification programme.